In a recent announcement, Apple revealed its plans to discontinue the My Photo Stream service on July 26th, 2023. This free service, which has been available since the launch of iCloud in 2011, allowed users to upload and access their images and videos across multiple Apple devices. However, with the advent of iCloud Photos, Apple has decided to phase out My Photo Stream.
My Photo Stream provided users with the ability to upload the most recent 30 days of their images and videos, up to a limit of 1,000 files, to iCloud. Notably, content uploaded through My Photo Stream did not count against the user’s iCloud storage cap, although they were not saved at full resolution.
According to a support document discovered by MacRumors, Apple clarified that My Photo Stream will cease automatically uploading photos to the company’s servers on June 26th, 2023. After this date, users’ photos and videos will remain on iCloud for an additional 30 days until the official shutdown on July 26th. As the images and videos uploaded through My Photo Stream are stored in their original format and resolution on at least one of the user’s Apple devices, no cherished memories will be lost during the shutdown process.
However, to ensure continued access to specific images on a particular device, Apple advises users to save those images to the respective device’s Photo Library before July 26th. The process to save an image from My Photo Stream on an iPhone or iPad involves opening the Photos app, navigating to the My Photo Stream album, selecting the desired photo, and tapping the Share button to save it to the Library.
Apple concludes the support document by emphasizing that iCloud Photos is now the recommended method for users to keep their photos and videos up to date across all their Apple devices, ensuring safe storage in iCloud.
The discontinuation of My Photo Stream signifies Apple’s continued efforts to streamline its services and prioritize the use of iCloud Photos as the central photo storage and synchronization solution for its customers. Users are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the features and capabilities of iCloud Photos to seamlessly manage their visual memories in the future.
As the July 26th shutdown date approaches, Apple will likely provide further guidance and support to assist users in transitioning from My Photo Stream to iCloud Photos, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted experience for Apple enthusiasts and photography enthusiasts alike.
